“Who’s the gray-bearded man at the table beside the Navy display?” I asked Valerie.

“That’s Master Chief Vance,” she said quietly.

“He’s a retired veteran who volunteers with the maritime museum every fall.”

“Has Wyler talked to him?”

“No,” Valerie said.

“Vance showed up twenty minutes ago, put his posters down, and hasn’t said a single word to anybody.”

She tapped the end of her silver pen on her thumb.

“Sarah, if you’re even ten minutes late tomorrow, Wyler told the office he’ll announce over the PA that you’ve been canceled.”